Filter for purifying water.



PATBNTED MAY 1, 1906. V J. MAODOUGALL.

FILTER FOR PURIPYING WATER. APPLICATION FILED MAR.19,19040. RENEWED MAR. 14, 1906.

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PATENTED MAY 1, 1906.

J. MAGDOUGALL. FILTER FOR PURIFYING WATER. APPLICATION FILED MAR.19,1900. RENEWED MAB..14,1906.

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'No. 819,357. PATENTED MAY 1, 1906.

J. MAGDOUGALL. FILTER FOR PURIFYING WATER.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR.19,1900. RENEWED MAR. 14, 1906.

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No. 819,357. PATENTED MAY 1, 1906.

J. MAGDOUGALL. FILTER FOR PURIPYING WATER.

APPLIGATION FILED MARJQ, 1900. RENEWED MAR. 14, 1906.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN MAODOUGALL, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY DIREOT AND 'MESNE ASSIGNMENTS; TO FRANK E. KIRBY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AND WILLIAM NEAR,'OF MONTREAL, CANADA.

FILTER FOR PURIFIYING WATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ratented. May 1, 1906.

Application filed March 19, 1900. Renewed March 14,1906. Serial at. 306,011.

To all whom it incl/y concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN MAODOUGALL, of Detroit, in the county of Wayne, and in the State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Filters for Purifying Water; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to-the accompanying drawings, in which? Figure 1 is a top plan view of art of a Water-purifying plant providedwit filters embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a vertical section of two of the filters; Fig. 3, a top plan view of one form of false bottom or support for the filter-bed that may be used; Fig. 4, a detailtop plan view of one of the segments of the falsebottom; Fig. 5, a detail side elevation thereof; Fig. 6, an end elevation of said segment Fig. 7, a vertical cross-section through one of the members of such segment; Fig.8, a vertical section througha filter having another -form of false bottom or support, and Fig. 9' a detail plan view of a portion of the support shown in Fig. 8.

Letters of like name and parts in each ofthe figures.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved construction of water-filters which besides other advantages, to be hereinafter set forth, will be characterized by the very important one of requiring a minimum of Water for cleansing or washing; and to this end my invention consists in the filtering apparatus having the construction and arrangements of parts-substantially as hereinafter specified and claimed.

. In the carrying of my invention into practice a suitable tank or receptacle A is employed, which has an inlet-pipe B,by which the water to be filtered is conducted to it, and an outlet-pipe C for the filtered water. Within the tank A and resting on a suitable false bottom or support is a bed of filtering material, formed, preferably, of a top layer D of fine filteringsand, a second layer E of coarse sand, and a third layer F of broken stone, which rests directly on the false bottom. The false bottom orsupiport I prefer to ameor grid rekind refer to like and a circular bar H, corresponding to the felly, and one or more layers I and I of WOVGII wire or other foraminous material upon the grid, which comes next the bottom layer of broken stone of the filter-bed. The upper screen-engaging edgesof the grid-bars are beveled or rounded to diminish or reduce the bearing-surfaces to a mere line, so that there may be free and unobstructed passage of water through every portion of the screen and bed above the same. a The under sides of the radial bars are cut away and they are perforated horizontally, so that though said bars divide or partition the space beneath the filter-bed into water ways or channels there is direct communication between the latter throughout such space. Such open-work conrim of sufiicient length to unite the two bars and to reach across the space to one of the radial bars of one of the adjacent segments.

A different construction of false 'bottomor bed-support is shown in Figs. 8 and 9, which consists of separated bricks K andK on the tank-bottom and arched tiles L and L, whose edges rest on the bricks and upon which the filter-bed is superimposed, narrow spaces being left between adjacent tiles to form waterpassages. The bricks, it will be observed, form intercommunicating Water ways or ghannels through the space beneath the filtered. I I have found that the fouling of the filterbed extends only partially therein, and hence that it is not onlynot necessary'in cleansing or washing to agitate or stir the bed below the point where it is befouled, but it is obj ectionable in that thereis' likelihood of the dirt or sediment settlingor working down into the lower part of the bed because of the loosening thereof When itis agitated or stirred throughout all or the greater part of its depth.' I; 1

Ithereforesti'r or agitate onlythe upper por- IIOO 5" pipes and stirrers.

tion of the filter-bed and draw off the water at a level close to the latter. The stirrer or agitator I employ consists of a series offingers. or teeth M and M of a length to penetrate only partially into the filter-bed, which for convenience are attached to radially-extending pipes N and N, which are mounted to each a length to reach from the center of the tank to the side thereof, and each has a slot or slots 72. and n in oneside, that extend substantially through its entire length. Said slots are gradually enlarged in size in crosssection from the inner end of the pipe outward because of the increase in the volume of water to be gathered in from the center of the tank outward. Preferably a small hole n is provided in the otherwise closed outer end of each pipe, and like holes n? and n in the coupling which joins said pipes and the vertical pipe 0. A shaft Q, attached at its lower end to the pipes and adapted to. be suitably driven, is provided to revolve. the The connection between the shaft and pipes is such that the whole weight of the latter is borne by the shaft and its bearing g, so that no strain from this source will fall on the pipe 0.

When it is desired to clean or wash the filter, a valve 1) in the inlet-pipe B is closed and the water in'the filter is allowed to run off until it reaches a level just above the pipes N and N, and then a valve 0 in the outlet-pipe C is closed. The stirrers are now revolved to loosen up the befouled upper portion of the filter-bed, and then a valve p in the washwater-outlet pipe is opened and water. is pumped through the pipe G into the filter at such a rate as not to disturb the bed, but sufficient to carry the loosened and dislodged matter up and out of the bed, where it can enter the pipes N and N, and thus be carried out of the filter. Said pipes taking the foul water in their entire length remove it with sufficient rapidity to prevent any appreciable or objectionable quantity of matter being.

left to settle back into the filter when the work of cleaning is stopped.

It will be observed that the draw-01f pipes and stirrers are mounted in fixed relation to the bed, and hence they are not only always, ready for instant operation, but both are in the exact position desired for the best andmost economical washing of the bed.

Speaking with especial reference to the first-described form of false bottom or bedsupport, it will be seen that in washing there is no portion ofthe. bed orits supporting= screen to which. wash-watermay not have thorough access.

n hewse of e p r y p ant llu a ed the, drawings there. are two sets, offilters employed, one of which receives'the water from the other after it has been passed through an intermediate treating device R, and for the sake of economy in space and to utilize the pressure or head of the water the two sets of filters are placed at different lev els, one, set being. mounted upon a suitable framework S above the other. It is to be understood, however, that as. far as the struc ture of thefilter itself'is concerned thescope of my invention extends to a single filter and is not to be restricted to any number or. arrangement thereof.

Having thus described. my invention, what I claim is In a r, e c b nat on f. a rotary pipe having an outlet at its inner end, and means for the admission ofwater to it enlarging in size from its inner to its outer end, substantially as and forthe purpose described.

In & filter, t e m in t n of a ed, of. filtering material, and a pipe for Wash-water extending from the center of the bed out-. ward, and having a Water-inlet and a water: outlet, the latteribeing carried downward directly from the pipe, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. Ina filter the v combination of a bed of.

filtering material, and a pipe for wash-water.

above the same extending-from the center v of the bed outward, and havingv a water-inlet and a water-outlet, the latter being extended; downward through the bed at its centerdirectly from the pipe, substantially as and. for. the purpose described.

4. In a filter, the combination of a bed of filtering material, and a pi e forwash-water, movable above such bed, t at extends from the, center, thereof outward and has a water.- inlet and a water outlet, the latter being ex tended downward throughthe bed'at its cen ter directly from the pipe, substantiallyv as and forthe purpose described.

5. In a filter, the combination of a bed of filtering material a vertical pipe extending therethrough, and a pipe above the-filter-bed, pivotally connected to and in communica; tion with said vertical pipe and having an inlet for wash-water, the construction being such that Wash-water passes directly down;

ward into the vertical pipe from the pipe piv.-

otally connected therewith, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6, In'a filter, the combination of a bed of filtering. material, and a support therefor, formed of open-bottomed segment-shaped sections, each comprising, radial and curved bars, substantially as and for the purppse described.

7. In a filter, the combination .of a bed of filtering material, and a support therefor, under sides, substantially as and for the purformed of segment-sha ed sections having pose described. radial bars through Whic arewater-passages, In testimony that I claim the foregoing I substantially as and for the purpose dehave hereunto set my hand this 16th day of 5 scribeId. fil h b f b d f March, A. D. 1900.

8. na ter, t e com inationo a e o filtering material, and a support therefor, JOHN MACDOUGALL" formed of segment-shaped sections, each Witnesses: comprising radial and curved bars, said radial J AS. E. HUTOHINSON, 10 bars being perforated and cut away on their CHAS. J. WILLIAMSON. 

